Dredger-head.



R. A. LOWE.

DH1-:Dem HEAD. APPLICATION FI-LBD APR. 20,-1908.

Patented Mar. 16, 1909;

"Duiuth, invented certain new and useful Improve- .UNITED sTATas PATENTonirica.

i ROBERT A. LOWE, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA', ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO W. H.LAMSON, OI"

HINCKLEY, MINNESOTA.

DREDG-ER-HEAD.

Spearman@ of Letters Patent.

Patented March `1 c, 1909.

Application ined April 2o, isos. Serin No. 428,002.'

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT A. LOWE, of St. Louis county, Minnesota, havements in Dredger-Heads, of which theffollowing is a specification. r

My invention relates to dredger heads adapted for use in connection withasuction ump.

The object of the invention is to provide means wherebythe. dredger headis adapted particularly for work in a bank or on a hard iottom. f

A further Objectis to provide a dredger head 'having `a 'large capacityand' one that will be positive in its action and easily operated.

The invention consists generally in a dredger head having a nozzleadapted.v to

discharge a jet against the bank or surface where the head is operating.

Further, the linvention consists in providing a rotary carrier near themouth of the dredger head.`

Further, the invention consists in means for directing a jet upon thematerial directed into the head by the carrier.

Further, the invention consists in means for directing a streamagainst'the blades of the carrier.- l f Further, the invention consistsinvarious constructions and combinations, all as here? inafter describedand particularly pointedl 'out'in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part. of'this specification,Figure 1 is a sectional view of a dredger head embodying my invention.Fig. 2 is an outside view of the same illustrating a modification inthe'position of the pipes on the dredger head. head, and, Fig. 4 isatransversesectional view 'of the same through the revolving carrier.

shown). l

sides and at one end and has an opening orl In the drawing, 2 representsthe dredger pipe 4 leading toa centrifugal pump (not The dredger head isclosed on the mouth .5 through which the material passes .into thechamber 3." -Ashaft 6 is mounted in bearin s 7 inthe Wall of the head4and carries a' revo ving carrier 8 vhavin a series of blades whichsweepv around in t adapted to throw hard bank or bottoni.

Fig.l I3 is a detail sectional view of the dredger e .mouth .of thedredger 'head and direct the material into the chamber 3. This wheel orcarrier is arranged t'o operate slowly, and for the purpose of looseningthe material when the machine is operating in a hard bank I provide apipe 9 arranged on the inner or outer surface of the dredgerhead andterminating in a tapered nozzle 1() which is adapted todirect a jet` ofWateragainst the surface to bc dredged, and loosen the same and directit into the mouthofwthe dred er -lie'ad where it will be caughtby therevo ving wheel 8. The pipe 9 communicates with a force pump land is avery strong stream ofv Watercapable ofiloosening. the gravel in a Theforce of the stream is increased by providing the tapered nozzlelO. Inaddition to the pipe 9 I prefer to provide a pipe 11 communicating witha ort' 12 in the Wall of the chamber 3 and in the rear of the wheel 8.-This pipe 11 is also connected with the force pump and is intended tosupply water to the chamber 3 for the purpose of rendering the materialtherein of proper 'consistency to pass to and through the suction pump.This pipe '11 connected with a separate puin 3 may bein use or not, aspreferred.

A small nozzle 13 is formed in the wall of the chamber 3 andcommunicates with the pipe 9 and is adapted tovdirect .a strea-m againstthe blades of the Wheel 84 and keep themclean. The wheel 8 has twofunctions,

one as a carrier and the other as an indicator to aid the o erator indetermining the amount of vmateria entering the dredger head. In caseitis found that an ins'uicient amount of water is entering the dredgerhead additional 'pumps may be attached to the pipe 11 and a arger supplyof water taken in.-

. donot wish to be confined to the form of carrier or wheel illustratedherein as I may use any rotatin device adapted to direct the materialinto t e chamber, in combination with one or more jets forlooseningthe'material. I may' also increase the number of jets for sup` lyingWater to the dredger head chamber. f nva'rious other ways the details ofmy` invention may be y'rnodiied without departing from the spiritthereof.

I claim as my invention 1. A dredger head having an intake opening and achamber in. the rear of said opening 'and a nozzle arranged to project ajet against the material in front ofv said opening and a suction pipecommunicating v'vith said head between said openingand said chamber.

2. A dredger head having an intake opening and a nozzle located on theWall of said of said opening and means located near the mouth of saidopening for directing the Iriaterial enteringtherein to said chamber.-

. 4. A dredger head having an intake opening, and a chamber in the rearof said opening, a suction pipe communicating with said head betweensaid opening and said chainber, and a material carrier located 'in saidhead intermediate to said opening and said suction pipe. l

5. A dredger head having an intake opening, a material carrier locatedin said head contiguous to said opening, and a nozzle arranged to directajet in front of said opening andsaid carrier, substantially asdescribed.

6. A dredger head having an intake opening and a chamber in the rear ofsaid o ening, a suction pipe communicating wit said chamber andarevolving Wheel located be'- tween said suction pipe and said openingand in front of said chamber.

7. A dredger head having an intake opening, a suction pi e and a wheelhavingfa series of blades provi ,ed with flat surfaces and ar' ranged insaid opening and extending from side to side thereof, said Wheel havinga slow revolving movement, substantially as de scribed.

8. A dredger head having an intake open-` ing and a chamber in the rearof said o ening, a suction pipe communicating wit chamber, meansinterposed between said opening .and suction pipe for directin thematerial into said chamber and a nozz e arrangedto direct a stream intosaid head in the rear of said conveying means.

9. A dredger head having an intake opening and aichambei' in the rearthereof and a suction pipe communicating with said chama carriercontiguous to said opening for directing the material'into said chamberandl said driving shaft therefor.

said

extending para nozzles having jets arranged to roject streams of Waterin front of and in the rear of said carrier.

10. A dredger head having an intake opening, a carrier having bladeslocated in said head near said opening and a nozzle arranged to direct astream upon the surfaces of said blades, for the purpose specified.

11. A dredger head having an intake opening, la suction pipecommunicating there- With, and a nozzle arranged to direct a streamacross said headland lengthwise in said suction pi e for the purposespecified.

12. dredger head, having an intake pening and nozzles arranged toproject jets in front Ofiand in the rear of said opening.

13. .A dredger head, having an intake opening,`nozzles arranged toproject jets in front of and in the rear of said opening, and a materialcarrier operating between said nozzles.

14. A dredger head having an intake opening, a suction pipe and a nozzlearranged to project a jet lengthwise in said pipe and a carrier locatedbetween said opening and said nozzle. l

15. A dredger head, having an intake opene ing and a chamber in the rearof said opening and a suction ipe communicating With said head, intermeiate tosaid chamber and said opening.

16. A dredger head, having an intake opening, a suction pipecommunicating with said head and a material carrier intermediate to-said opening 'and said suction pi e.

17. A dredger head, having an intake opening, a suction pipecommunicating with said head, a revolving carrier interposed betweenopening and said suction pipe and a 18. A dredger head, having an intakeo en.- ing, a suction pi e therefor, a driving siaft lelsubstantiallyWith said. su ction pipe, and a Wheel carried by said driving shaft andoperating in said opening.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of April1908.

ROBERT A. LOWE.

